Episode 4

Book of Soul Exchange
Episode 5 Episode 04: The Ressurection
Japanese Name	換魂の書
Romanized Name	Kankon no Sho
Airdate	August 6, 2011
Adapted from	Chapter 1 (light novel 3)
Manga counterpart	Chapter 1

"Book of Soul Exchange" is the 4th episode of The Mystic Archives of Dantalian anime and the fifth story shown in the adaptation. It's also known as Episode 04: The Resurrection.

The supposedly deceased author Lenny Lents sends a letter to Wesley Disward, asking for his help. Hugh and Dalian decides to investigate the case, which may involve a Phantom Book.

Summary

A man is using a typewriter. A woman unlocks the door of his room to check his work. He asks her to fulfill her end of the agreement now that he finished his work. After looking what he wrote, she affirms that it isn’t enough. She grabs a knife and attacks the man. A mysterious book is shown.

Dalian reads a book ordered by Hugh. She’s frustrated because he had ordered only the first two books of the Crown of the Dog Days trilogy. However, the third one is unavailable, since the author Lenny Lents passed away when he was assaulted by a criminal. The supposed dead writer had send a letter to Wesley, asking for his help and mentioning a strange book. Dalian wants to leave immediately to investigate the case.

Paula checks Lenny's work.

Dalian wants to read the whole trilogy.

Hugh and Dalian meet Paula.

Hugh and Dalian meet a blonde woman at Lenny’s place. Hugh affirms that he and Dalian came for a visit and that the author had a close relationship with Wesley. Apparently, the author doesn’t like to be disturbed during his work. Right now, he’s writing a new novel. Hugh notices that the woman was washing the blood off a knife. The woman introduces herself as Paula Lents, Lenny’s wife. She affirms that a meeting will be arranged for tomorrow. While preparing to drive off, Hugh and Dalian discuss about the suspicious woman. Paula can't be what she stated earlier. After all, Lenny dedicated his previous works to his deceased wife Bevis.

Hugh and Dalian find Leticia and the body of Lenny Lents.

At night, Paula leaves the shack next to Lenny’s residence. She locks the shack from the outside. She’s holding a knife dripping blood, leaving a trail on the snow. Hugh and Dalian appear to investigate the storage room. They smell blood inside it. Hugh uses his lighter to illuminate the place. When Dalian stumbles, they find the body of Lenny Lents. They also meet Leticia Serkis, the author’s lover. She’s locked inside a cage. Hugh tries to open the cage, but she tells him to go away. Hugh and Dalian should return tomorrow. Leticia tells them to leave her behind and escape with Lenny. 

Lenny writes a message of help.

The next day, Hugh goes to the post office to collect a letter while Dalian tries some of his biscuits. She doesn't like the taste. Dalian affirms that she’s interested in the case, since the strange book mentioned can be a Phantom Book. Hugh drives back to Lenny’s place, where they have tea with Paula. Dalian is impatient to see the author. Paula is shown to know a lot about the Crown of the Dog Days trilogy. However, Dalian has memorized more details about the novels. As a reward, Paula allows them to see Lenny, unlocking the door of his study. It’s surprising to see the man alive after last night, when Hugh and Dalian saw his corpse. Lenny heard about them from Paula. He pretends to be working while typing a message of help. He asks them to save Leticia and ignore him in exchange for the last volume of his trilogy. Paula watches them. Lenny acts as if he had made a mistake. He rips the paper. Hugh asks for his autograph. The author signs the book Dalian is carrying. When Lenny gives the book back, he also delivers the paper he had just ripped in a way to hide it from Paula. Outside, Dalian recognizes Lenny’s handwriting. Hugh concludes that the letter was written by the man they just met. Dalian is excited to read the last volume of the series.

Paula reveals herself as a maniac fan of Lenny's works.

Later that night, Hugh and Dalian check the storage room again. They see the body of Leticia. Dalian mentions the Book of Soul Exchange. Lenny appears at the door. Paula is right behind him, asking Hugh to put his gun down. Hugh has no choice but to surrender when she shoots one of Lenny’s legs. While holding a book, Paula locks Hugh and Dalian inside the cage. Paula knew they would interfere when she saw the traces on the carbon paper inside the typewriter. Hugh had investigated the woman. Her real name is Paula Dickinson, a maniac fan famous in the publishing industry. Her love for Lenny’s works turned her into a criminal. The author holds the body of his lover Leticia. Paula wants a satisfying ending for the Crown of the Dog Days trilogy. She shoots Lenny in the head to educate him. A magic circles shines under the bodies of the couple. Leticia is revived, but she is killed again by Paula soon after.

Paula is attacked by the Ras Alhague monster.

The circle reappears, this time reviving Lenny. Dalian explains that Paula is holding the Phantom Book called “Ras Alhague”. The book brings a dead person back to life when another life is offered. The couple has been in a cycle of life and death. Paula would commit murder every day, otherwise their bodies would soon rot away. She keeps killing them, using all the bullets from Hugh’s revolver. Paula also hits Lenny with the butt of her rifle. She cannot accept how Lenny wants to finish his last novel. Dalian criticizes the ending Paula has in mind. Infuriated, Paula shoots the writer’s head off. This time, both the victims stand up. Dalian explains that the couple has developed resistance to death. Lenny and Leticia fuse into a magical being. Paula shoots it but ends up consumed by the creature while screaming in pain. The key of the cage falls next to Hugh and Dalian. Out of the cage, Hugh collects the Ras Alhague from the floor. Dalian grants him the right to open the Library. However, Hugh affirms that there is no need for that. They pray for Lenny and Leticia when they disappear. Eventually, Hugh and Dalian collect the draft for the last part of the Crown of the Dog Days trilogy. However, Dalian hates the novel and decides to write a new version with Hugh.

Light novel-anime main differences

Light novel	Anime
-	When Hugh and Dalian show up at Lenny's villa, Paula is washing a bloodied knife.
After meeting with Paula for the first time, Hugh drives away with Dalian. Hugh breaks into an empty villa to wait pass midnight.	After meeting with Paula for the first time, Hugh drives away with Dalian.
Hugh and Dalian see Paula leaving the barn with a bloodied poker.	Paula leaves the barn with a bloodied knife. Hugh and Dalian show up soon after.
The barn contains many tools, like a torture room.	-
Hugh and Dalian see Lenny's body. His head had been crushed.	Dalian falls down the stairs of the barn, landing next to Lenny's body.
Hugh contacts the old man through a post office to get information about Paula.	Hugh goes to a post office to get information about Paula.
-	Paula locks Hugh and Dalian inside a cage.
Paula uses her rifle to kill Lenny and Leticia.	Paula uses Hugh's revolver to kill Lenny and Leticia.
Paula beats Leticia with a poker.	Paula beats Lenny with the butt of her rifle.
Paula breaks Lenny's neck with a swing of a poker.	Paula shoots Lenny's head with her rifle.
Paula is crushed to death by the fist of the Ras Alhague monster.	Paula is consumed by the Ras Alhague monster.
Dalian reads Lenny's third novel at the Disward estate. She wants a new ending. Dalian plans to have Hugh write the alternative story. She told the old man to send independent works from other authors as inspiration.	Dalian reads Lenny's third novel in the car. She wants a new ending. Dalian plans to have Hugh help her.

Trivia

• There's a painting hanging on the wall of the post office. It's a 1930s poster by French painter Maurice Toussaint showing the Stairs of Brelevenez in Lannion, a commune in northwestern France.
  • The letter Hugh collects at the post office is an investigation about Paula Dickinson. The envelope contains the name "Post Office Telegraphs". In the mid-19th century, the United Kingdom made an effort to acquire all the telegraph companies in the country. The stations were part of the General Post Office (GPO).
  • An electrical telegraph is used at the post office. It's a real model exhibited by Germans inventor Ernst Werner Siemens and mechanic Johann Georg Halske at the 1862 International Exhibition, where advances made in the industrial revolution were displayed.
  • The clerk at the post office is voiced by Yūta Odagaki.

• The biscuits Dalian tries were manufactured by Ga-inax Bakery Co Ld. It's a reference to GAINAX, the studio that produced the anime.
  • The snacks are digestive biscuits from a British manufacturer. The Hovis brand was launched in 1886.

• Hugh and Dalian probably went to the Threadneedle Street, in the City of London, to collect Lenny's draft. The scene shows part of the Bank of England, the second oldest central bank in operation today, established in 1694.
• When Hugh and Dalian are having tea with Paula, the Young Girl Reading can be seen in the background. It's an 18th-century oil painting by French painter Jean-Honoré Fragonard.
• The episode ends with Hugh driving through High Street, Oxford. There are many historical buildings on the street, including the University of Oxford buildings and colleges.